It’s not like Fiorentina fans don’t have plenty to think about in this international break: personnel issues, tactical issues, the centenary season (hey remember how this was supposed to be a very special campaign), the usual ulcerative pain that watching this team induces. Oh, and we’re only six weeks from the winter transfer window.
It’s remarkable how incomplete this roster feels despite Fabio Paratici splashing €150 million of the Commisso fortune all over the walls this summer. Some of that is injuries,
of course, but at least as much is simple underperformance. With Paolo Vanoli back in the saddle, Fiorentina’s finding a level of competence that should stave off relegation despite a pathetic start.
Even so, the transfer industrial complex demands offerings, especially during the break. With eleven Serie A games in the books, we probably have a sufficiently representative sample to start judging players and figuring out who’s up to the task and who isn’t. I’ve therefore ranked the positions by order of need. I’m not sure how Vanoli will structure his midfield with everyone finding fitness again so there are twelve starters listed but one of the midfielders will drop to the bench depending on whether it’s a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1.
10. Right wing
Starter: Franco Mastantuono
Backups: Wilfried Gnonto, Pedro Gonçalves
This is Mastantuono’s job. There’s almost certainly a clause in his loan contract obligating Fiorentina to play him a certain percentage of minutes. That isn’t to say he’s been bad but he’s a teenager in his first season as a regular starter in a major European league, learning a new language and dealing with all the silliness that the Viola have to offer. He could do more by doing less but he’s been neutral at worst and is probably positive on balance. Gnonto hasn’t looked great in his spot starts but he’s a fine backup. Gonçalves’ future is probably in the middle but I trust him too. In short, the right wing is loaded.
9. Left wing
Starter: Alieu Njie
Backups: Wilfried Gnonto, Pedro Gonçalves, Federico Croci
Njie’s answered any questions about his impact in the final third by scoring in three straight games, possibly convincing Paratici to pay the €16 million to make his move permanent ahead of schedule. His physical gifts, dribbling ability, and understanding of how to draw fouls were already superb; if he’s going to chip in goals as well, he’s going to be excellent. Gnonto and Gonçalves can work in behind him as well. Primavera superstar Federico Croci could also get spot minutes throughout the season, having debuted earlier this year in the Coppa Italia against Benevento.
8. Goalkeeper
Starter: David de Gea
Backups: Oliver Christensen, Luca Lezzerini
Despite de Gea’s struggles, I think his place is secure unless he slaps Joseph Commisso on live television or something. Christensen and Lezzerini comprise an acceptable pair of emergency options. The real question comes in the summer, when Tommaso Martinelli will presumably return from Avellino and compete with de Gea for the starting job. Adding another goalkeeper in January would just worsen that looming logjam unless Paratici’s determined that none of the guys on the books are the long-term solution.
7. Attacking midfield
Starter: Pedro Gonçalves
Backups: Franco Mastantuono, Arthur Atta, Wilfried Gnonto, Nicolò Fagioli
Pedro is so obviously a cut above every other attacker in terms of involving his teammates that Vanoli might have to play him. He looks like the straw that stirs the drink. Mastantuono has kicked inside several times this season too and looked alright. I’d like to see Atta as the 10 as well although I think he’s more of an off-ball threat than an on-ball creator. Gnonto and Fagioli are both capable fill-ins as well in case there’s an injury crisis. I think this area’s pretty well set.
6. Rightback
Starter: Alex Jimenez
Backups: Dodô, João Mário
Jimenez has provided unexpected scoring punch but his outlier performances don’t outweigh the obvious flaws in his game, at least to my eye. He’s prone to switching off and letting runners in behind him and his ambition too often leads to Hollywood passes that concede possession rather than just giving it to a more-talented teammate. Nevertheless, he’s secured his spot. We all know how good Dodô is and having him as a backup is more than fine. João Mário as the third option is just gravy.
5. Central midfield
Starters: Cher Ndour, Arthur Atta
Backups: Nicolò Fagioli, Marco Brescianini, Christ Inao Oulaï
If/when Atta gets healthy, his fit gets tricky. He’s never played in a double pivot and Gonçalves has earned a longer look as the 10. That leaves Arthur out in the cold if Vanoli sticks with the 4-2-3-1. Ndour, on the other hand, fits any system due to his physicality, work rate, and intelligence out of possession. I think he’s too similar to Brescianini for them to play together. If Oulaï is going to take over the holding role, perhaps Fagioli could push farther forward. Regardless, there are plenty of options in the engine room.
4. Defensive midfield
Starter: Christ Inao Oulaï
Backups: Nicolò Fagioli, Cher Ndour, Marco Brescianini
Oulaï looks like a star in the making as long as he can keep his temper under control and not improvise too much, which could make Vanoli strangle him. Fagioli is, at worst, a competent backup; I’m less fond of him than consensus but still recognize that his talents are unique in this squad and back him to snap out of his funk at some point. For what it’s worth, his personal life has been pretty wild of late and that’s probably spilling into his performances. I trust neither Ndour nor Brescianini as the regista but they’re both fine in a double pivot.
3. Striker
Starter: Mateo Pellegrino
Backups: Beto, Alieu Njie
Pellegrino’s humming along nicely, providing a box presence and converting his chances at a better clip than I’d expected. I don’t think there’s a lot of room for growth but having a Big Lug up front can be very useful and he’s played the part quite well. Beto, on the other hand, has looked disastrous to me. His body of work is large enough that Paratici doesn’t need to dip into the mercato to provide him some competition but it might be worth a look. If Pellegrino misses time, Beto might play himself into form and look useful, but that might be a risk management doesn’t want to take. Njie’s played up front under Vanoli at Torino but that was always as part of a pair and I don’t think he could lead the line very effectively.
2. Centerback
Starters: Radu Drǎgușin, Viery
Backups: Luca Ranieri, Marin Pongračić, Víctor Valdepeñas
Drǎguşin’s shown glimpses of the player he was at Genoa but he’s mostly been well below par. Maybe he’s still working himself back into fitness and form but his performances should sound the klaxon at the Viola Park. Viery’s made mistakes too but he’s younger and less experienced so those can be cast as on-job learning. If Paratici wants to upgrade this unit in January, though, he’ll probably have to sell Ranieri or Pongračić first and that could prove a tricky value proposition. I’d expect him to try and shift the latter in particular, though, as his value is higher and he’s not an academy product.
1. Leftback
Starter: João Mário
Backups: Víctor Valdepeñas, Viery, Fabiano Parisi
Maybe Parisi comes back in the next month or so and blows us all away but it’s not fair to put that sort of pressure on a guy coming off a nine-month cruciate absence. Every opponent has quickly realized that João Mário and Valdepeñas are easy targets and attacked them relentlessly. Viery did an alright job out there but he’s needed in the middle and his future is at centerback. I’ve heard rumblings that Paratici might try to cut João Mário’s loan short, which would guarantee a new leftback in January.
